The Game Of Love
by Cage The Elephant In The Room
Summary: It’s hard to wait around for something you know might never happen, but it’s even harder to give up when you know it’s everything you want.


**I own nothing.**

**A/N: Hey all. This is my very first Nitchie, and I hope you all enjoy it. Thanks so much!**

* * *

There were many times in Nate's life where he wanted to throw caution to the wind, remove the mask he was always wearing, walk up to Shane, and strangle the dumbass.

For instance, the day they met. Shane and Nate were nine years old. Their parents were business partners, owning a label together. But on the day that they met, Nate decided that he hated Shane. He hated Shane for many reasons. One, Shane was bossy. He kept insisting that they play and do what he wanted. And secondly, Shane was such a suck-up. To everyone. And did they buy the pretty boy's act? Of course they did.

But Shane didn't bother Nate as much when they got older. There were a few times here and there that he didn't particularly care if he fell off a cliff and died, but other than that, Nate was pretty indifferent.

And then Gia happened.

Gia was Nate's first real girlfriend. At the time, Shane and Nate, along with their new guitarist, Jason, had just broken into the music industry. Nate had a crush on Gia for longer than he cared to admit. And stupidly, he told Shane before anyone else that he cared about her.

Yes, Nate, stupid move indeed.

You see, Shane is not the nice guy type. He's the I'm-going-to-steal-your-girl-and-like-it type. Did he care that Nate was in puppy love with Gia? I'm not even going to bother answering that.

So, as you probably already guessed, Shane did what he always does. He screwed Nate over by screwing Nate's girl. For two months, Nate never realized what was going on. And then, on one fateful afternoon, he walked in on them.

"Hey Shane, I just-

Shane and Gia quickly seperated, Gia searching for her top. Shane made no move to dress, he simply stared at Gia. "What are you doing? It's just Nate."

Nate glared. "Thanks for showing me how much of an ass you really are." He turned to Gia. "And you," he laughed. "Have a nice life."

Shane apologized with the same five words he always used: "You'll thank me some day."

And one day, Nate would.

* * *

There were few times in Nate's life where he wanted something of Shane's. Most of what belonged to Shane was fake, useless, and/or worthless. Tori, Lana, and Dana were the primary examples. Tori was fake. Lana was useless. Dana was worthless. Why? Tori was a bubblehead, she had a one track mind: Money. A gold-digger. An annoying poster child for plastic surgery. Lana was a talker. A mile-a-minute, droning talker. And who could forget Dana? The girl, sadly, had nothing wrong with her. She just happened to be about as dull as a rock.

The point is, Nate didn't really want anything in Shane's posession. That is, he didn't want anything until her.

Who? Mitchie Torres of course. Eyes that reflected her personality, voice that could make any stranger stop in their tracks...perfection.

Except she belonged to Shane, for reasons unknown to Nate. He didn't understand why she would want to be with a person as selfish as Shane, didn't understand at all. But more than that, he didn't understand why Shane hadn't broken up with her after weeks of "dating". So, he asked. "Do you really like Mitchie?"

Shane raised his eyebrows. "Why do you want to know?"

Nate shrugged. "Curiosity."

"Yeah, yeah," Shane snickered. "I'm so sure. Look man, do you have a thing for her?"

Nate stiffened. "No, of course not. Why do you ask?" he finished slowly.

Shane shook his head. "No reason. I just..." he paused. "I think I could really love her, you know? She's so different from other girls out there. I mean, she's amazing. I feel like I can be a good person when I'm with her."

On the inside, Nate wanted to laugh. Shane? A good person? As likely as Nate being God. Completely and totally impossible. Aloud though, he couldn't help but question Shane. "You think you could love her? Come on, dude. You don't really think that."

Shane didn't laugh, smirk, or even scowl. Instead, he whispered, "No, no. I think I really can."

Nate left Shane then, to his thoughts. He sighed, putting his hands in his pockets. He grabbed his keys, opening the apartment door he shared with Jason and Shane. And just as he did, a wet Mitchie greeted him. "Wow, are you psychic or what? So, is Shane here? We were supposed to meet and-

And then Nate did something fate hadn't predicted. He took a chance. "Actually, Mitch, you just missed him. He said he had something to do," he leaned against the doorframe, "but if you want, I mean, I'll tell him you stopped by."

Mitchie frowned, rain from her hair dripping down into a puddle by her feet. "Uh, okay. Well, um, alright." She turned then, to walk away, but Nate couldn't take the agony of watching her walk away from him, not when his one, and probably only, chance of winning the girl was staring him right in the face.

"Wait!" he said, closing the door. She turned, confusion evident in her eyes. "Do you, I mean, do you maybe want to go get some coffee?" His voice squeaked as he nervously threw out the question.

Mitchie bit her lip, playing with her hands. After an awkward moment, she smiled. "Yeah, sure. Just because Shane isn't here doesn't mean I can't spend time with a friend."

Nate winced. Friend. That's all he was to her. All he ever would be. He bit back his frown, instead walking to up to meet her. "Course not."

Together, the two made their way out of the apartment complex, awkward conversation gradually turning into a conversation of two good friends, chatting without a care in the world.

And as they did, a relationship neither could've anticipated began.

* * *

Mitchie giggled as Nate held her. Nate smiled, turning her in his arms. He kissed her forehead, before whispering, for the first time, "I love you."

Mitchie gasped, removing herself from Nate's arms. "What...what did you just say?"

"I said I love you."

"No, no, you don't mean that!" Tears threatened to pool over as she paced back and forth. "This wasn't supposed to happen."

Nate reached out, holding her once again. She stayed still, sobbing into his shirt. "You weren't supposed to do that," she whispered through her sobs.

"I can't help it. I love you. I love you so much it hurts. To be away from you kills me, Mitchie. To be with you makes me want to climb to the highest point of the world, screaming to all listening how much you mean to me. Shane can't love you as much as I do, Mitch. It's impossible. My heart, my soul, it's yours now."

Mitchie froze. "I...Nate, I love you too."

A smile spread across his face as he reached down for her chin, tilting it up as their lips met. Soft and gentle at first, Mitchie's velvety lips became victim to Nate's.

And then, an abrupt, "What the hell!?" broke the two apart. Standing ten feet away from them was Shane, a single rose within his hand. Mitchie and Nate untangled themselves, shocked that Shane had found them.

The three stood within one of the most beautiful rose gardens there ever was. Nate discovered it on accident, and took Mitchie as often as he could. Shane was directed by an associate, and went to gather the most precious rose he could find, to give to Mitchie.

"Shane," Nate started, shifting his eyes nervously from Mitchie to Shane.

Shane glared. "How could you do this to me?"

Mitchie walked forward, stepping in front of Nate. "Shane, stop." She took Nate's hand in her own, a devastating movement to Shane.

"You...want him?"

Tears of guilt pooled out of her chocolate eyes. "I'm sorry."

Shane let the rose drop to the ground. Eyes blank, he stared straight into Nate's guilty eyes. "From this point on, you're dead to me." Then he turned around, walking away.

Mitchie and Nate, together, sighed. Still, they held each other's hands. Shane was hurting, they knew, but nothing was going to change. For Mitchie loved Nate, and Nate loved her.

That's just how the game of love works.

**A/N: End. I hope you enjoyed my first Nitchie. Now...would anyone mind reviewing? Heh, thanks. **


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